Should I take this offer?

[Jaytee]

I got offered to play at a bar... but I don't think I'm good enough. But should I take the risk of getting some hands on experience? I'm not getting paid, maybe when I get better I'll ask for pay.

I've never used the equipment but do have a basic idea how to use the equipment and some of the techniques that can be used.

They have 2 CDJ 1000 MK3's and a 4 channel mixer.

I've been using virtual DJ for over a year now (you can say crappy computer DJ's are later) . I'm still saving up for the equipment but it looks like it'll be a year or two before I can actually afford it. So this would be a great chance for me to learn.

As I get better I'll rely less on the program and focus just on practising beat-matching and mixing without using the program. But at the start I will heavily rely on it.

I never had any lessons, just watching and learning from vids.

-----------------------

Is there any advice? Tips?

I am thinking of using Virtual DJ (on my laptop with my songs) with the CDJ-1000's as the controllers. How would I set this up? What would I need?

I did some research and I found I need:

- External 4 in 4 out asio soundcard such as the Maya44 usb or the NI Audio 4.

- Timecode cd's

I'm not sure if they have sound cards there. Would they have them?

They normally have a laptop hooked up with the mixer using the iTunes as shuffle playing horrible 80s music and the occasional professional DJ for large events.

You can now troll on and say things like "your ruining the reputation of pro dj's with your computer DJing". But I don't see how I could learn now without the equipment or any formal or informal lessons.

I will also be playing mainstream music with very little beat matching at the start... just crossfading from one song to another, until I get better.

[eggssell]

oh man. were you been long time no hear..

(EDIT: just checked yer profile to see when you were last around, but you were posting in march and april. how the f did i miss that...)

amywho, dont worry about the naysayers man, as i said in the 90's we called people who used cdj's cheats and now they becoming the club standard. so while all the cd people are calling computer dj's cheats, in time it will become accepatble. then the computer dj's will call the telekenetic dj's cheats, and so on and so on.

First up most definitely check the location and see what they got in terms of sound cards etc.

also one option is to hire some equip for one or two days and just go hard practicing.

the final thing to consider is the location and the peeps that will be there. i went to a bar in syd a couple weeks back. and at times the dj was straight moving one fader up and the other down, reasonably beatmatched but most definitely clashing. and i have to say not one person seemed to notice. but thats cuz it was about 10ish on a sunday and everyone was lazing about having a drank.

now im far from being a dj, so my 2 cents are probably woth 0.2 cents. but just some food for thought.

oh and in terms of pay, well i know that is a can of worms, becuase by you accepting it for free means people who get paid lose out on a job yadda yadda yadda but i can see the otherside of a coin, someone trying to breakthru with no actual experience why would they give you a shot. i rection its fine if you do it as a trial purpose then hit them up for some cash. then your equip will pay for itself.

[eggssell]

oh yeah and to gauge where you at (i.e. if you are good enuff or if you being too harsh) post up a mix. i know not a lot of reviewing of mixes here (im guilty too), but just put a purlease and im sure everyone will hop on it.

[Jaytee]

aye cheers man for the reply and feedback.

I'm still deciding if I should go.. I need to get a decent pair of headphones as well and find out if they have a sound card.

It shouldn't be too hard to figure what goes into what right? Inputs.. outputs..

The manager there gets smashed every night haha

Luckily this is a small bar, not too big..

But what about playing acoustic / mainstream songs without a strong beat? I just crossfade over?

[CBG]

hmmm. honestly man. i'd have to say no.

having xp on cd players is a must, its a big step up from vdj, which is insanely easy.

and dont worry bout money, thats the last thing u worry bout.

it really depends on the bar, mayb just go in and do some simple 1bar crossfade transitions. if its a crankin bar. id stay away.

u really should invest in decks. they dont have to be pioneer, mine arent.

sry if this sounded mean, just being honest.

[Skank]

i recon do it if you can hook up vdj to their equipment but if not id say only give it a crack if you know all your music to heart like where youd start mixing from and so on

because with no experience on the cdj your gunna have so much shit going through your head your not going to want to have to worry about song selection

but lots of things can happen on cdjs like the bpm counter doesnt work properly or you just carnt make the beat match with out pushing it along all techniques you need to practise

It all comes down to you getting live experience is awsome but you may have to swallow a little bit of dj ego and do your wedding style fades

[djarmed]

hmmm. honestly man. i'd have to say no.

having xp on cd players is a must, its a big step up from vdj, which is insanely easy.

and dont worry bout money, thats the last thing u worry bout.

it really depends on the bar, mayb just go in and do some simple 1bar crossfade transitions. if its a crankin bar. id stay away.

u really should invest in decks. they dont have to be pioneer, mine arent.

sry if this sounded mean, just being honest.

Going to have to agree on this comment.

[JonnyB]

tbh im going to go with chris on this one.

at least try and hook up with a mate or other dj's in the area to have a practise on them before you play there, its honestly alot diffrent to vdj.

so if your going into it with no hands on experience, id say no, but if you can get a fw practise sessions in somewhere and you get the skills down (just basic mixing so you dont trainwreck it) then go for it.

no point jumping at your first chance, fucking up then ruining having a chance of ever playing there, you want your first impression to be good, if not they wont keep you and if people here of your fuckups i doubt other places will.

Its best to be safe then sorry

[ruggs]

Run virtual dj threw there mixer and just don't use the decks if you want?you don't need an external soundcard you can use the one in the laptop if its pretty good.pm me if you wanna no how to set it up

[Jaytee]

cheers for the feedback

I was thinking I could do a better job than their iTunes shuffle, especially with the 80s rock music haha

I just wanted to use the cdj's as the external controllers for the VDJ program but use a mouse at the same time too.

[wazza]

your going to need a good sound card ...& some scratch live time code C.D's ...to control V.dj with CDJ 1000

the U-mix 44 is cheep & good

http://www.mixvibes.com/site/pageeng/page.php?x=mv7umix

or the MAYA 44 usb

pay a bit more and get a NI Audio 4 or a Edirol FA 66 ..

DONT..use the laptop sound card to play out..

most laptop sound cards sound like shit